The SBI exposed officials of the migration service who demanded money from foreigners for extending their stay in Ukraine
DBR employees with the assistance of the leadership of the DMS detained the head of one of the departments of the Western Interregional Administration State Migration Service in Ivano-Frankivsk and his subordinate. They were informed about the suspicion of organizing a scheme to extort money from foreigners.
The scheme involved a translator who received and transferred part of the illegal benefits allegedly for the “services” of migration service employees. Foreigners paid the other part of the funds directly to the officials.
During August – October 2025, the defendants demanded 5.5 thousand US dollars from seven foreign citizens for the decision to extend their stay on the territory of Ukraine. In fact, they received 3.8 thousand dollars. One of the participants of the scheme was detained by the law enforcement officers during the working day in the slot machine hall, where he was instead of performing his duties.
During searches of the office premises of the State Security Service, at the place of residence of the suspects and in the translator’s office, documents, mobile phones and money were seized.
The head of the department and his subordinate were notified of the suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — acceptance of an offer, promise or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official. The translator is suspected of aiding and abetting the obtaining of an unlawful benefit under Part 3 of Art. 368 and Part 5 of Art. 27 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The sanction of the article provides up to ten years of imprisonment.
The court chose a preventive measure for all three in the form of detention with the right to post bail. A petition was also filed to seize the seized and personal property of the suspects and to remove two employees of the migration service from their positions.
The pre-trial investigation continues, other possible facts of extortion by employees of the same body are being checked. Procedural management in the case is carried out by the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
